Primary Goal
Maximize performance on a target outdoor route through high-quality attempts, route-specific tactics, and progressive refinement of redpoint execution
PROTOCOL OVERVIEW
Route performance
System
Mixed / Anaerobic-dominant
Target
Outdoor route performance, redpoint execution, pacing, beta refinement, clipping, rest strategy, and tactical decision-making
Intensity
High-quality near-limit route attempts; session RPE typically ~6–8/10
Preparation
Standard Preparation Protocol
Main Work
Fully recovered attempts on the target route, prioritizing high-quality redpoint burns and targeted beta refinement
Progression
Improve beta, pacing, clipping, rests, and execution until sections link and full-route attempts become increasingly complete
Duration
~90–240 min
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Execution
Preparation
Complete the Standard Preparation Protocol, then progressively increase climbing intensity using suitable warm-up routes or sections. Aim to begin serious attempts fully recruited and ready to perform, without accumulating unnecessary fatigue.Main Work
- Select one target route appropriate to your current level and goals
- Use early attempts to refine beta, clipping positions, pacing, rests, and crux sequences
- Work individual sections when needed, then progressively build longer links
- Take full recovery before serious redpoint burns
- Prioritize high-quality attempts over total attempt count
- Rest approximately 20–45 min between serious attempts, depending on route length, effort, conditions, and recovery
- Stop when skin, power, movement quality, or decision-making deteriorates enough to reduce the value of further attempts
Intensity
Hard Route Effort
Attempts should be difficult enough to challenge current performance while still allowing useful movement practice, beta refinement, and repeatable high-quality climbing.
Redpoint Effort
Serious redpoint burns may approach maximal effort, but the session as a whole should remain controlled by recovery and attempt quality rather than by accumulating fatigue.
The goal is to maximize the quality of meaningful attempts, not to accumulate failed burns.
Technical Focus
- Refine efficient beta rather than simply trying harder
- Identify reliable clipping positions and clipping sequences
- Optimize pacing through easier and harder sections
- Use rests and shake-outs deliberately
- Distinguish beta-working attempts from genuine redpoint burns
- Identify where effort can be reduced without compromising movement
- Adapt tactics to conditions, skin, fatigue, and changing route knowledge
- Stop when additional attempts are unlikely to provide useful information or a realistic performance opportunity
When to use it
Use Indoor Lead Projecting when route-specific performance is the priority and you have a target route difficult enough to require repeated attempts or multiple sessions.
Particularly useful when:
- preparing for a specific outdoor project or redpoint goal
- beta, clipping, pacing, or rest strategy are major limitations
- individual sections are possible but full-route execution remains inconsistent
- you need to improve links between difficult sections
- you want to convert finger strength, power, endurance, and route knowledge into complete-route performance
- conditions, skin, and tactical decisions materially affect success
Frequency
- Typically 1–2× per week
- Allow substantial recovery before another demanding projecting or high-intensity climbing session
- Reduce frequency when projecting days become especially long or physically costly
- Separate hard projecting days when finger, skin, or whole-body recovery is incomplete
- Increase recovery when the route produces repeated near-maximal crux efforts
Expected Effects
- Improved route-specific beta and movement efficiency
- Longer and more reliable links
- Better pacing and use of rests
- More efficient clipping and tactical execution
- Greater consistency across serious redpoint attempts
- Improved ability to preserve performance across multiple high-quality burns
- Better conversion of physical capacity into outdoor route performance
- Increased probability of completing the target route as route knowledge improves